Lady Ella.  Oh, please!  Poor darling!

     [They listen.]

[Lady Ella, prepares to receive Edward.  The Squire and Rector stand transfixed.  The door opens, and a bare arm gently pushes Edward forth.  He is bandaged with a smooth towel.  There is a snuffle—­Hannibal has broken the scarf, outside.]

Lady Ella. [Aghast] Look!  Hannibal’s loose!  Maud—­Tommy. [To the Rector] You!

     [The three rush to prevent Hannibal from re-entering.]

Lady Ella. [To Edward] Yes, I know—­you’d like to!  You shall bite him when it’s safe.  Oh! my darling, you do——­[She sniffs].

     [Maud and the Squire re-enter.]

Have you tied him properly this time?

Maud.  With Bertie’s braces.

Lady Ella.  Oh! but——­

Maud.  It’s all right; they’re almost leather.

     [The Rector re-enters, with a slight look of insecurity.]

Lady Ella.  Rector, are you sure it’s safe?

The Rector. [Hitching at his trousers] No, indeed, lady Ella—­I——­

Lady Ella.  Tommy, do lend a hand!

The Squire.  All right, Ella; all right!  He doesn’t mean what you mean!

Lady Ella. [Transferring Edward to the Squire] Hold him, Tommy. 
He’s sure to smell out Hannibal!

The Squire. [Taking Edward by the collar, and holding his own nose] Jove!  Clever if he can smell anything but himself.  Phew!  She ought to have the Victoria Cross for goin’ in that pond.

     [The door opens, and herself appears; a fine, frank, handsome
     woman, in a man’s orange-coloured motor-coat, hastily thrown on
     over the substrata of costume.]

She.  So very sorry—­had to have a bath, and change, of course!

Lady Ella.  We’re so awfully grateful to you.  It was splendid.

Maud.  Quite.

The Rector. [Rather holding himself together] Heroic!  I was just myself about to——­

The Squire. [Restraining Edward] Little beast will fight—­must apologise—­you were too quick for me——­

     [He looks up at her.  She is smiling, and regarding the wounded
     dog, her head benevolently on one side.]

She.  Poor dears!  They thought they were so safe in that nice pond!

Lady Ella.  Is he very badly torn?

She.  Rather nasty.  There ought to be a stitch or two put in his ear.

Lady Ella.  I thought so.  Tommy, do——­